DAC Collection Artist Information

Anna Atkins
British (English) (1799 - 1871)

English photographer and botanist

Brief biography, in most instances from the Union List of Artist Names® Online:
Atkins was the first person to publish a photographically printed and illustrated book, her privately published "British Algae" (1843-1853). In the early 1850s she began to collaborate with Anne Dixon on creative cyanotype photograms. Her artistic photography, shaped by the requirements of scientific illustration rather than the prevailing conventions of Victorian art, was bold and direct and anticipated the later photograms of Man Ray and other artists.

Artist ID number in the Union List of Artist Names®:ULAN 500001807.The ULAN link above leads to a cataloging authority record at the Getty Research Institute.

Information here was last updated on 1/14/2019. Some is from older cataloging. Most objects acquired through 1/14/2019 are represented; cataloging is in process for some objects. We continue to add and update content. Please contact the DAC Registrar of Collections to suggest corrections with citations. Captions embedded in DAC images have basic information as of the time the digital image was made; details and updates appear on object pages.